Reflection
by rhonderoo
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi steals away to Alderaan for Leia Organa's "coming of age" debut.


_The song Reflection, sung by Christina Aguliera on the Mulan soundtrack has always reminded me of a young Leia Organa. _

_All characters belong to George, and no money is being made._

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* * *

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"Ob…- Ben," Bail Organa said as he held out a hand to the weary traveler. "It has been far too long." He took the Jedi Master's tattered robes and haggard appearance sadly.

"Thank you, Senator," Ben Kenobi said as he accepted his old friend's hand. "I'm just thankful I made it in one piece. The road is a dangerous one to travel these days, my friend. Especially for one such as myself."

Even though the Jedi had a more homespun appearance, he still held his dignity and an air of culture about him. The cropped beard was still there, as was the familiar haircut, only now they were snow white, instead of the ginger brown of the Clone Wars hero.

"So tell me, how does young Leia fare these days?" Ben asked with a smile.

"She's as lovely as the day we brought her home," Bail said, a note of melancholy in his voice. "She is her mother's daughter, even at fifteen."

Master Kenobi looked at Bail appraisingly and nodded. He looked out from under the cowl of his robe to the entrance to the palace. The mention of Padmé caused a dull ache in his heart. The grief of fifteen years was like a dull ache that settled itself in his heart and refused to give him pardon. There were times when he could remember Padmé and Anakin, and moments of hope and even happiness. Then the truth and utter anguish of it all would return and he would be left with an empty ache for both of them. The grief of losing his former apprentice to the darkness haunted him constantly. The children of Anakin and Padmé's union were still here, though. And that meant hope for the future. He turned his attention back to Bail.

"Then come, old friend. Let's get to the comfort of your home. I can't wait to see how she's grown."

"By all means, let's do. I told Leia that she would be meeting an old friend of the family, and she is delighted. She never misses a chance to show off her exemplary manners and protocol," Bail said.

The pair of old friends made their way to Bail's private chambers.

Waiting for him was Bail's wife, Breha and their adopted daughter, Leia. The sight of her almost broke Obi-Wan's heart anew. She was small and petite like her mother, a quiet dignity and wisdom surrounded her. When she smiled and took his hand in hers, he felt he was looking at the soul of a much older woman. The feeling almost brought him to his knees. The Force surrounded her as only a Jedi could have felt, practically blinding him in its intensity.

"General Kenobi, I am so glad your journey has delivered you safely to our home," the Queen said taking Obi-Wan's hands into her own. "This is our daughter, Leia."

"General Kenobi, it is my unabashed pleasure to meet you. My father has told me so much about you. I'm so glad you could come for my debutant party," Leia said as she took his hand in hers.

She spoke like a much older politician, Obi-Wan thought with a small measure of amusement. Now where could she have gotten that from? He thought and chuckled to himself. Her voice held a huskier timbre, deeper and richer than her mother's but just as sophisticated and refined.

"The please is all mine, your Highness. I am very flattered by the invitation, especially for an old war dewback like myself."

"Nonsense, General Kenobi." Her laughter was musical. A tinkling bell that caused warmth that he had not felt in a long time, for this kind of genuine goodness was gone from his life forever he had thought.

"Father, don't get so caught up in old war stories that you forget what time the party starts," she said as she leaned down and kissed Bail on the cheek. She and her mother left the room with a swish of skirts and an air of understated elegance.

"So tell me, old friend," Ben said as he took one of the finely crafted leather chairs in front of the Bail's ornate desk. "What is it that concerns you?"

Bail steepled his fingers and leaned forward on the desk. "I believe that Leia has inherited some of…Anakin's…abilities," he said with a weary sigh. "She dreams of things that she could not possibly know of. She rarely remembers them on waking, but sometimes she does."

"I see…," Obi-Wan said as he put his hand on his chin and stroked his beard.

"She had described Padmé to me in detail, Ben. She can tell the feelings and moods of others instinctively and I've even caught her using it to her advantage once or twice, when she was much younger."

"Using it to her advantage?" Obi-Wan asked with concern.

"Oh, nothing malicious," Bail said resting his fingers against his forehead. "She's just done it in a naive child's way, innocently pushing the boundaries. Her choice of song to sing at her party is…interesting. She can see things sometimes…" He sighed again and looked up. "And she's become a speed demon with that speeder of hers," he said adding a tone of levity to the conversation.

Obi-Wan chuckled and looked out the tall elaborate window to the blue Alderanian skies outside. "I think she'll be fine. Is there anything else?"

"No, I think other than those things she's a normal teenage girl. Worried about her appearance to the brink of frivolity and tormenting her mother with her outbursts of impatience at anything she feels is indignant," Bail laughed.

Obi-Wan smiled again. "Does she often have outbursts of temper?"

"Oh, she can be a spitfire. Of that there is no doubt. But her sanguine nature always takes over and she's soon all right. I don't know if that's Padmé or Anakin, it's hard to tell."

"Perhaps it is Bail or Breha," Obi-Wan said with a smile that spoke of his wisdom. "It is unfortunate that Leia and Luke were denied their parents by fate and darkness, but they are with the most capable people that they could have been raised by in their absence. The Force chose all of you, and you should feel confident that you are raising them well," he said as he leaned forward. "From what I've seen, Padmé could have wanted no more for her daughter."

"Perhaps," Bail agreed sadly. "Then again, I'm sure she would have liked to raise her children herself." He stopped himself from going further, noting the grief in Kenobi's eyes. "What of the boy? Do you ever get to see him? How is he faring?"

"He's doing fine," Obi-Wan said. "I rarely see him. When I do it is by accident at market day or because he has gotten too far from the homestead with his friends. His uncle does not appreciate my guardianship," he smiled wryly. "He has Padmé's compassionate nature and gentility."

"We are lucky. Both children seem to have gotten the best of both of their parents," he said as he looked out the window again, a new wave of pain washing over his face.

"We are indeed," Bail said.

"Come, let's get you a room and some refreshment. The party will be starting before you know it. I don't think we need to have you in robes. Luckily, this is a strictly private party."

"I agree. Lead the way then, old friend," Obi-Wan said as they left Bail's office.

* * *

"For her fifteenth song, Princess Leia will sing 'Reflection', a song she's picked out herself. She will be joined by her voice teacher," the party announcer said as he introduced the young princess.

She stepped to the front of the room packed with close personal friends of her parents dressed in a white sheath gown and a beautiful necklace of square azurite given to her by her father earlier in the evening. This was a special time in a young girls life in Alderanian tradition and the gift from her father had been a wonderful surprise. She bowed, took the holomic and began to sing.

Look at me  
You may think you see  
who I really am  
But you'll never know me  
Every day  
It's as if I played a part  
Now I see  
If I wear a mask  
I can fool the world  
But I cannot fool  
my heart

Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me?  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?

I am now  
in a world where I have to  
hide my heart  
And what I believe in  
But somehow  
I will show the world  
What's inside my heart  
And be loved for who I am

Who is that girl I see  
Staring straight back at me?  
Why is my reflection  
someone I don't know?  
Must I pretend that I'm  
Someone else for all time?  
When will my reflection show  
who I am inside?

There's a heart that must  
be free to fly  
That burns with a need  
to know the reason why

Why must we all conceal  
What we think  
How we feel?  
Must there be a secret me  
I'm forced to hide?

I won't pretend that I'm  
Someone else  
For all time  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?  
When will my reflection show  
Who I am inside?

Obi-Wan's breath caught in his chest as he watched the young Princess sing. Her dark brown hair and warm brown eyes brought an image of Padmé unbidden to his heart, causing a momentary pang. Yes, she even had her mother's nobility and composure in front of her parents' peers and subjects, but there was something else…an inherent sense of courage and fiery nature hid just beneath her stylish composure. Ben guessed it could have been her age, but he knew better. Her smile and small features brought a young Anakin to his mind, even the shape of her face and eyes held the intensity and quiet wisdom he had first seen in a young slave from Tatooine so many years ago.

He was surprised just how much Leia reminded him of the young apprentice he had cared for so. His eyes burned with tears that had hid beneath the surface for so long. The words she sang brought to mind Leia's biological father and the nature of his present station in life. He had been around for a long time and had studied the Force for many years in his isolation, and it continued to awe him even now. Sometimes it spoke in mysterious ways, sometimes it lead you where it wanted you to go outright. The words coming from her song could was a message Obi-Wan had been waiting for a long time.

He had spent years in the desert, waiting on a sign - some kind of portent from the Force on what part the twins would play in the fate of the galaxy. It had just come to him. Anakin had just spoken through Leia as if he were here in Obi-Wan's presence himself, fighting to get out of the burnt out black shell of darkness that he had been hiding in for the past fifteen years. Even through the havoc and evil, Obi-Wan sensed that the prophecy still stood and Anakin's children were the key. He didn't know why he was so sure of this, but he and Master Yoda had learned that if you listen and open heart, the Living Force would speak to you. Obi-Wan turned back to listen to the young Princess and for the first time in years felt a burst of warmth in his chest that could only be the presence of hope.


End file.
